


Can't Remember

by sappiestlady



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Crying, Drawing, Hugging, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, that's rough buddy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:55:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27338284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sappiestlady/pseuds/sappiestlady
Summary: Sokka struggles with his memory and Zuko helps him figure it out.
Relationships: Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 66





	Can't Remember

Zuko was finishing up the upteenth draft of the treaty he and Sokka were working on far too late in the night for his taste.

He and Sokka had been working with the Northern and Southern water tribe to try and create a sense of peace. It had taken a bit for Sokka to stop being bitter, but Zuko couldn’t blame him. He had lived in a tent for most of his life while they had an entire city. 

Zuko was walking through the halls alone, having sent his guard to bed long ago. He spotted Sokka sitting outside in the courtyard and walked towards him.

“Hey.” Zuko said, moving to sit next to Sokka.

“Hey.” Sokka said, moving his hand onto the paper, obscuring Zuko’s view of it.

“What are you drawing?” Zuko asked.

“Nothing.” Sokka said, his voice low.

Zuko let it be for the time being. He knew Sokka would tell him eventually.

It took longer than expected. Zuko sat there for about an hour, looking into the night sky with Sokka, trying to see what he saw. 

Slowly, Sokka moved his hand off of the drawing, revealing it ever so slowly. Zuko glanced down before looking up to the sky again. She always looked the same, whether it was in Sokka’s painting or in the sky. Sokka’s first girlfriend, Yue. 

“I don’t know what I was expecting. You always draw her.” Zuko said, trying to lighten the mood. He sat out here with Sokka constantly, but tonight felt different. More tense.

“The eyes are wrong.” Sokka said quietly.

“What?” Zuko looked back at Sokka and tried not to gasp at the tears in his eyes.

“The eyes are wrong.” Sokka said, looking down at his drawing.

“It’s okay, you’ve never been the best sketch artist.”

“It’s not okay.” Sokka’s voice was tight, like he was hiding something. 

Zuko bit his lip, looking back to the sky. They sat in silence, basking in the light of the full moon. While he had been tired, he was no longer and was filled with concern. Sokka has never sounded like this before. He sounded defeated.

“You want to tell me what’s going on?” Zuko whispered.

“Katara was right.” Sokka said. 

“About what?” Zuko asked.

“I don’t remember my mother as well as she does.” 

Zuko felt his heart clench and his head snapped down to look at Sokka. Sokka’s head was ducked and turned away from Zuko, his shoulders hunched and hands covering the drawing again.

“She was wrong to say that.”

“Except she was right. I can picture my mother, but something is wrong about it, and I can’t figure out what.” Sokka said, still facing away from Zuko.

“You were a child, Sokka. A child!” Zuko said.

“Can you picture your mother?” Sokka said bitterly, raising his head.

Sokka’s cheeks were flushed and his eyes full of tears. “Yes, I can.” Zuko said after a moment.

Sokka let out a frustrated sob before burying his face in his hands. Zuko scooted closer to Sokka, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pulling him close. Sokka cried quietly into his hands, pushing his head into Zuko’s chest. 

“I just don’t want to forget Yue. And her eyes are wrong.” Sokka choked out after a few moments. Zuko rubbed his back, pressing a kiss to Sokka’s cheek.

“Can I tell you something?” Zuko said. Sokka nodded into Zuko’s chest, sniffling.

“When I think of my mother, I think of what I felt when I was with her. The feeling of joy when we were feeding the turtleducks has nothing to do with the fact that I loved her.” 

Sokka let out a heavy sob.

“When I think of how she kissed me goodnight, it doesn’t matter if she was wearing a red robe or a black one, or if her hair was up or down. I remember the contentment of when she rubbed my cheek.”

Sokka wrapped his arms around Zuko’s chest, his drawing and pencil falling off of his lap. Moments passed, the moon glowing bright above them.

“The first time my mother put my hair up, I was sitting in her lap and she kept squeezing my cheek. It made me laugh and sit still enough until she could do it.” Sokka said after a few moments, his voice shaking. 

“Picturing baby Sokka is something I need to do every day.” Zuko said softly. Sokka laughed quietly.

“When Yue took my hand and kissed me on the forehead, I felt scared for her, for me, but I also remember feeling such pride. She was one of the most extraordinary people I’ve ever met.” Sokka said.

“I’m sure of it.” Zuko said. 

They sat there for a few more moments before Sokka sighed and stood. He held out a hand for Zuko and helped him stand. 

“Let’s go to bed.” Sokka said. He took one more look at the moon, before turning away and putting an arm around Zuko’s shoulder.

“Alright.” Zuko said.

**Author's Note:**

> heerruuugghhhh meh  
> this one is a little iffy but hey zukka fans do be desperate for content


End file.
